Fluorocarbon leader length?

[juicebass]

Hey guys, i spool up my reels with with braid (usually 30 or 65lb)

i have been putting on fluorocarbon leader   (I usually put it so I can reel the exact spot the lines are joined right before the reel)

is this a good length for a leader? I've never had a problem with the line breaking at the connection between the two lines.

Also, I would love to find out what to do in heavy vegitation situations? Do I throw a jig or punch plastic (1-1.5oz weight) direct on my 65lbs braid?! Or Do I put a fluro leader..? From what I understand it's best to throw it on straight braid for heavy cover.. But then I lose the advantage of the invisibility of fluro.

some insight would be great.

thanks!

[Western-Mass-Bass]

When I use a flouro leader I tend to make it the length of the rod.  But honestly........ I throw straight braid on everything usually. Ive pulled them out of the clearest of clear water like that too. Maybe its our fish here in New England but they dont seem to be very line shy around here.  Plus to me, another not in the line just makes me nervous about loosing one.  Good luck to ya!!

[corn-on-the-rob]

I believe the most common leader lengths are anywhere as short as 1 foot, and as long as, like you said, where the connection knot isn't reeled into the spool. Like pretty much everything else, it comes down to preference; I prefer 2.5ft to 5ft 99% of the time.

Medium/heavy cover whether it is wood or vegetation, does two things for you:

1. Between all of the strands of grass, branches, and small spaces you are working the lure through, your thin piece of braid would rarely be detected among them.

2. There is a reason the application calls for heavy braid, by tying a 20lb or even 25lb leader, you have only 1/3 the breaking strength you originally tied on heavy braid for in the first place. Tie direct.

[WIGuide]

I'm not a big fan of leaders so I'll just comment on the why you don't need a leader in heavy cover, especially veggies. 

http://il7.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/11954087/thumb/1.jpg?i10c=img.resize(height:160)

If you look at that pic, that's what a bass in the weeds is surrounded by so a green line is not going to be nearly as noticeable as it would be in open water. The other advantage to straight braid especially in grass is it's ability to just kind of slice through it where mono/fluoro doesn't do it nearly as well. It means you'll get better hooksets as well as not getting tangled up as much as you're trying to get the fish out of it. 

[juicebass]

3 hours ago, WIGuide said:

I'm not a big fan of leaders so I'll just comment on the why you don't need a leader in heavy cover, especially veggies. 

http://il7.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/11954087/thumb/1.jpg?i10c=img.resize(height:160)

If you look at that pic, that's what a bass in the weeds is surrounded by so a green line is not going to be nearly as noticeable as it would be in open water. The other advantage to straight braid especially in grass is it's ability to just kind of slice through it where mono/fluoro doesn't do it nearly as well. It means you'll get better hooksets as well as not getting tangled up as much as you're trying to get the fish out of it. 

Wow, great point! That pic explains it perfectly!

[rippin-lips]

12" to 72" or whatever you prefer

Some even let the leader knot pass through the line guide. It's all personal preference.

Go straight braid in heavy cover

Just an fyi... Fluoro isn't invisible 

[aprilbass101]

I use 2'-3' leader of FC & I never let it go through any of my guides! I've tried way longer leaders in the past down to the reels but I felt like I was reducing the distance of my casts (lighter lures) & beating up the double uni knot. Like rippin said it's personal preference!

[FryDog62]

I had Steve Pennaz (a.k.a. Knot Wars) tell me to tie the knot at length so that it is in front of the first guide going out from the reel.  More line slap happens in that first big guide which can fracture or wear down the fluorocarbon knot.  So tying to the length just in front of the big guide may extend the age of the knot.  

[Airman4754]

On my drop shot, shakey head, and Ned rig I'll usually tie a 10' leader at the start of the day so I don't have to tie more than once. For my baitcasters I do up to the line guide in the reel to about two feet from the end of the rod. Punch/pitch/flip is just straight braid. 

[S. Sass]

Heavy cover = reaction strike

No need to worry about the line when they are reacting to the bait dropping in on them. Heck I quit using leaders period it was a waste of my time and I have yet to see a day I couldn't catch fish and 100% blamed it on the line.

I haven't had one bass come to the boat and say I didn't bite because I saw your line use fluorocarbon leader and ill bite. 

[DubyaDee]

I tie a flouro leader just past the first guide. My leaders are more of an insurance policy for pike/musky than anything. I lost a lot of jerkbaits tied directly with braid in the past.

[primetime]

If flipping wood or rock, any structure that is abrasive....Fluorcabon is much more abrasion resistant than Braid or Mono...Some Copolys are ok if they are coated with Fluoro, but a good 25lb Fluoro leader on 50lb braid that is any length is my choice if flipping shorelines with branches, most fluoro 25lb test is 18lb diameter, 20 is 15 now...And it is strong, leader material is stiffer and better than just pulling off some Red label from a spool of casting line....Leader is stiff and knots hold well, swivels are ok for flipping, if you worry about knots, just go improved clinch with Fluoro and you are good, but I usually go straight braid as often as possible but watch it after each fish, and if fishing certain weeds it can be loud rubbing against the stalks etc..Braid also drives me nuts as it sticks to wood etc...You can punch straight 25lb Fluoro and you don't need the most expensive brands anymore...I use Vanish, Abrasix, P-Line, but if leader I use leader not line when flipping. 

From My experience Triple Fish Fluorocarbon Leader is the best and strongest...it turns black if you light it, priced right as it is OEM line made in Germany and based in Florida, so it is super popular down here especially for Big Snook and Grouper....30lb Triple Fish will pull in a Tree, and is the most abrasion resistant leader I have ever used...I buy it for leader on all spinning rods, and most casting set ups with braid, I go 12,17,20,25,30....20 will usually hold up to anything and you can flip a jig into bushes and be sloppy and that line is like wire, only 100% fluorocarbon so it is strong, sinks, and knots hold up really well....For Flipping, I either go all Braid, all Fluoro, since I like one knot in a perfect world, but if I am worried about a knot failing, then I only tie a 2 foot leader or tie it to a swivel...I trust an improved Clinch on a swivel if on a boat and fishing water with big fish and lots of sharp wood etc. around...